Jamie’s America

Jamie talks about his new book, Jamie’s America – Jamie will try real American food and meet the most interesting cooks and producers that this vast country has to offer. His epic journey will take him to the heart of America: its people, culture, music and, most importantly, its food. Along the way Jamie will be getting his hands dirty – meeting hunters, cowboys, fishermen and local producers – as he finds out about the best (and strangest) ingredients on offer. He won’t just be sampling, he’ll be getting involved: entering a gumbo ‘throw-down’ in Louisiana, fishing in California and sampling bison in Montana as he joins life on a ranch. As well as being a visually stunning journey, “Jamie’s America” is a practical cookbook, with each chapter focusing on the food and recipes of a different state. And the food will be as varied as the landscapes – from spicy Mexican in the desert to freshly caught Alaskan salmon. With 120 brand new recipes, and Jamie’s diary narrative running alongside, this will be a celebratory cookbook of a country with a wide food heritage.

Jamie’s Ministry of Food: Anyone Can Learn to Cook in 24 Hours

‘The aim of this book is to completely inspire people who have no interest in food to have a go’ – Jamie Oliver. Sixty years ago food was in short supply and malnutrition rates were high. “The Ministry of Food” was set up to teach the public how to make the best use of the food available to them. Fast forward to the present day, where we have unlimited choices and plenty of food, yet we’re living in a world of junk food, additives and preservatives. Our war is now against obesity, as most people have little or no idea about how to cook and what makes a balanced diet. We need to learn from the past. We need to look back at the way our grandmothers and great-grandmothers cooked – wholesome, tasty food that was simple and quick to prepare. If you’re a complete beginner in the kitchen, Jamie’s promise to you is that you’ll be making some great dinners within hours of reading his book. A little knowledge and a few basic tools can go a long way, and this book is your first step …

Happy Days with the Naked Chef

Jamie Oliver’s Happy Days with the Naked Chef is in the same mold as his bestselling cookbooks, The Naked Chef and The Naked Chef Takes Off: recipes for simple, comforting food. This time, however, he has some interesting additions from his travels to Australia, New Zealand, America, and Japan. There are three new ideas in Happy Days with the Naked Chef. Oliver has included a chapter on “Comfort Food”–the kind of cooking Nigel Slater and Nigella Lawson specialize in. There are recipes for British favorites like Toad in the Hole, Fish Finger Buttie, and Sticky Sausage Bap with Melted Cheese and Brown Sauce. In his “Quick Fixes” chapter, Oliver has selected dishes where saving time and minimal washing up are the key ingredients. These include a Steak Sarnie and Chicken Breast Baked in a Bag with Mushrooms, Butter, White Wine, and Thyme. He has also included a “Kids Club” chapter, which offers inspiration for parents trying to get their children excited about food. The new additions don’t dominate the book as the remaining two-thirds contain Oliver’s standard Italian-style fare: simple salads, fish, meat, vegetables, breads, and desserts. Don’t miss the excellent recipe for Medallions of Beef with Morels and Marsala and Crème Fraîche Sauce. Oliver has also been traveling and you’ll find recipes with bok choy, soy sauce, and ginger popping up here and there–delicious! –Elizabeth Murgatroyd, Amazon.co.uk

From Publishers Weekly
Big-energy, high-profile Food Network celebrity Oliver (The Naked Chef) says this book addresses what the average person wants to cook at home; and perhaps never has a personality cookbook ranged so far across high and not-so-high cuisine. Oliver proposes the best way to eat store-bought fish sticks (broil them and serve on a white roll with ketchup) and devises easy dishes he calls Quick Fixes, such as Chicken Breast Baked in a Bag with Cannellini Beans, Leeks, Cream and Marjora. He suggests how to get kids involved (make Chocolate Cookies with Soft Chocolate Centers) and then proceeds to mouth-watering adult fare: Pot-Roasted Pork in White Wine with Garlic, Fennel and Rosemary]; Lovely Pan-Baked Plaice with Spinach, Olives and Tomatoes; and Medallions of Beef with Morels and Marsala and CrŠme Fraiche Sauce. Oliver’s impulse to wow an audience is reflected in such recipes as Whole Roasted Salmon Wrapped in Herbs and Newspaper, to be cooked on a camp fire or over a barbecue, and Flour and Water Crust Chicken, in which a whole bird is enclosed, baked and brought to the table in a pastry covering. Chocolate and Whole Orange Pudding is actually baked with a pre-boiled orange in the center. A small quibble, but home cooks should pay attention when assembling ingredients because they are not always presented in simple lists. The 11 components in Japanese Rolled Pork with Plums, Cilantro, Soy Sauce and Spring Onions, for example, are given in only six lines. Oliver concludes with some of his favorite beverages, which include Easy Peasy Ginger Beer and the Margarita. (Oct.)Forecast: Oliver’s previous two entries from Hyperion have been very successful, and this will follow the pattern. The last week in October, he’ll tour seven cities, conduct cooking shows in bookstores and throw in some drumming as well, a musical talent he practices in his spare time.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The Naked Chef Takes Off

Affable Essex boy Jamie Oliver continues the British culinary invasion with The Naked Chef Takes Off, the smashing follow-up to his bestselling The Naked Chef. For Oliver, the young Food Network import, food is all about “passing the potatoes around the table, ripping up some bread, licking my fingers, getting tipsy, and enjoying the company of good friends and family,” and cooking up “what real people at home really want.” The thing is, “real people” picking up cookbooks are often seeking easy-to-follow recipes. But that’s not Oliver’s bag. The layout of many of his recipes may frustrate traditional-cookbook readers–instructions often appear as one big chunk of conversational text with nary an ingredient or measurement in clear view–but that’s part of the charm of Oliver’s cookbooks. His commentary, tips, and cooking steps come across in a very approachable, colloquial style and leave plenty of room for individual flair or improvisation. Oliver’s enthusiasm for cooking is infectious; the recipes and chapter introductions spill out like a best mate who just can’t stop talking about food and how much fun–and simple–it can be to whip up these spectacular dishes.

Oliver kicks things off by stocking your pantry with best-quality ingredients, and he’s an apostle for fresh herbs, raving on about growing and drying your own at home. “Morning Glory” is a chapter full of dishes like Midnight Pan-Cooked Breakfast (bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, sausages, and eggs brought together in the “biggest nonstick pan available” and sopped up with buttered toast–a rustic one-dish cure for any oncoming hangover). “Tapas, Munchies, and Snacks” brings Slow-Cooked and Stuffed Baby Cherry Chili Peppers to the table (when you’re done snacking on the chilies, you’re left with a jar of terrific flavored oil, perfect for salads or pasta). There’s Squashed Cherry Tomato and Smashed Olive Salad, and a Fragrant Thai Broth, infused with lemongrass, ginger, and lime leaves. Once you’ve mastered his basic risotto recipe you can turn out Shrimp and Peas Risotto with Basil and Mint, and likewise his basic bread recipe is the foundation for Chocolate Twister Bread. “Easy peasy” dessert ideas like Strawberries Marinated in Balsamic Vinegar or Malted Milk Balls and Ice Cream (bash a big bag of Whoppers into bits and sprinkle over quality vanilla ice cream) are a refreshing end to any meal. Now, be a “right little tiger” and get cooking–Seared Scallops and Crispy Prosciutto with Roasted Tomatoes and Smashed White Beans and other fabulous dishes await. –Brad Thomas Parsons –This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly
The young, hip Londoner (The Naked Chef) again brings his big personality to bear on cuisine that isn’t “cheffy food, it’s for normal people who want shortcuts and tips….” However, normal people may be put off by instructions as vague as the “2 good handfuls of arugula, 1 small handful of capers and 1 handful of anchovies” specified in the Slow-Cooked and Stuffed Baby Cherry Chilli Peppers. Also, simple recipes such as Crunchy Thai Salad are presented in descriptive text alone; ingredient quantities are left unspecified. Yet Oliver wields an adventurous hand in combining flavors, as with Monkfish Wrapped in Banana Leaves with Ginger, Cilantro, Chilli and Coconut Milk. Playful ideas also abound, such as Squashed Cherry Tomato and Smashed Olive Salad, in which the tomatoes are squashed by hand. On a more sophisticated note, there’s Seared Scallops and Crispy Prosciutto with Roasted Tomatoes and Smashed White Beans. Oliver’s Basic Bread recipe is adaptable enough for Chocolate Twister Bread, Pizzas and Chickpea Moroccan Flatbread. Desserts include Two-Nuts Chocolate Torte with almonds and walnuts and CrŠme Br–l‚e The Way I Like It, which is only an inch thick with a thin layer of crisp caramel. Venting his youthful spirits, he even tells how to spike a watermelon with vodka to intoxicate your “mates.” Agent, Borra Garson. (Sept.)Forecast: Already a popular Food Network host, Oliver airs new episodes this year in conjunction with the book. Naked Chef has 100,000 copies in print, and for its sequel, Hyperion plans a $100,000 marketing campaign, including a five-city tour and confirmed appearances on Rosie O’Donnell, Late Night with David Letterman and Entertainment Tonight. Last year, the author made People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” list. Sales should be brisk.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

The Naked Chef, (Paperback)

There are a few British television chefs, such as Delia Smith and Nigel Slater, who know exactly what viewers want. They cook food that is simple to prepare but looks and tastes delicious. That’s probably the reason why the BBC appointed Jamie Oliver as the presenter of its series The Naked Chef (which airs on the Television Food Network in the U.S.). A working chef at London’s celebrated River Café, Oliver cooks simpler versions of the fare you would find on the restaurant’s menu. It’s basically modern Italian food using ingredients that can be found by almost anyone who is reasonably interested in food shopping. Like the television show, the book is titled The Naked Chef. In Oliver’s words, this sums up the idea: “It’s basically stripping back to the bare essentials.” He applies this to all his recipes–from salads to roasts, desserts to pastas. He doesn’t use culinary jargon or time-consuming processes. In the book you’ll find suggestions for ingredients to keep in your larder (pantry) and herbs to grow on your windowsill. Recipes include Warm Salad of Radicchio; Gem and Pancetta; and Beetroot Tagliatelle with Pesto, Mussels, and White Wine. There are also tips on how to cook live lobsters, how to make gravy, preparing dry beans for cooking, and how to make the perfect roast chicken. Several photographs accompany some of the recipes, with step-by-step instructions. Oliver’s recipes for bread are particularly good–a tribute to his training at Carluccio’s, the Covent Garden deli. This is the perfect book for anyone who doesn’t want to spend much more than a half-hour preparing meals and is not willing to compromise on innovation or taste. –Dale Kneen, Amazon.co.uk –This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly
With charming finesse, 24-year-old British chef and BBC television cooking show host Oliver argues a convincing case for “getting naked” in the kitchen. His home-cooking philosophy advocates “stripping down those [restaurant] recipes to something quite basic, and adapting them to what I had in cupboard, pantry, refrigerator or garden.” The 120 recipes are organized into 12 chaptersDherbs and spices, soups, salads and dressings, pasta, seafood, meats, vegetables, legumes, risotto and couscous, bread, dessertsDwith a concluding section on stocks and sauces. Oliver’s suggested list of ingredient staplesDEnglish mustard, durum semolina, couscous, sea salt, soy sauce and capers, among othersDreflects today’s global pantry. His culinary approach synthesizes top-quality, fresh ingredients with fundamental culinary concepts (e.g., composed salads, soups from stock) upon which readers can build. Oliver dispenses helpful tips and advice with boyish enthusiasm: “the perfect risotto should slowly ooze across the plateDthe fact that it isn’t moving tells you that it’s too dry. Yuck!” Succinct, user-friendly recipes range from traditional English home-cooking favorites, like Pot-roasted Rabbit with Rosemary, Thyme, Sage and Lemon, to international comfort foods, such as Fragrant Green Chicken Curry. A stellar pasta chapter showcases photogenic renditions of Beet Tagliatelle with Pesto, Mussels and White Wine, and Ravioli of Borage, Stinging Nettles, Marjoram and Fresh Ricotta. This is functional home cooking at its grooviest: Oliver delivers a hip classic that will appeal to a new generation of modern epicureans who face the challenge of cooking within the confines of tiny urban kitchens on time-pressed schedules.

Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. –This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life

Home is where the heart is . . .

This book is very close to my heart. It’s about no-nonsense, simple cooking with great flavors all year round. When I began writing it, I didn’t really know what recipes I would come up with, but something began to inspire me very quickly . . . my vegetable patch!

I came to realize last year that it’s not always about looking out at the wider world for inspiration. Being at home, feeling relaxed and open, can also offer this. I love to spend time at home in the village where I grew up, working with the boss, Mother Nature, in my garden and seeing all my beautiful veggies coming out of the ground.

Inside you’ll find over one hundred new recipes, plus some basic planting information and tips if you fancy having a go at getting your hands dirty as well!

More books by Jamie Oliver

Jamie’s Italy

Ever since working at the River Cafe for Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray, Jamie Oliver has had a serious passion for Italian food. Now, ten years later, Italy and its wonderful flavours continue to have a major influence on his food and cooking. In Jamie’s Italy, Jamie travels this famously gastronomic country paying homage to the classic dishes of each region and searching for new ideas to bring home. The result is a sensational collection of Italian recipes, old and new, that will ensure Italy’s influence reaches us all. On the menu is an array of magical ingredients and Mediterranean flavours all combined in Jamie’s inimitable way. From Parma ham to Parmesan, from pannetone to panzanella, Jamie’s new book will transport you to Italy or at least bring Italy home to you.